Reliability Engineer
Salary

Median pay for Reliability Engineers in the United States lies in the neighborhood of $83K per year. Total cash compensation to Reliability Engineers approaches anywhere from $62K on the lower end to $123K on the higher end; in exceptional cases, this can include more than $15K from bonuses and upwards of $10K from profit sharing. The most influential factor affecting pay for this group is geographic location, though career duration and the particular employer have a (lesser) impact as well. Most Reliability Engineers report high levels of job satisfaction. Men make up the vast majority of Reliability Engineers (88 percent) who took the survey. Almost all report receiving medical and dental coverage from their employers and a fair number collect vision insurance. This report is based on responses to the PayScale salary survey.

XTotal Pay combines base annual salary or hourly wage, bonuses, profit sharing, tips, commissions, overtime pay and other forms of cash earnings, as applicable for this job. It does not include equity (stock) compensation, cash value of retirement benefits, or the value of other non-cash benefits (e.g. healthcare).

XTotal Pay combines base annual salary or hourly wage, bonuses, profit sharing, tips, commissions, overtime pay and other forms of cash earnings, as applicable for this job. It does not include equity (stock) compensation, cash value of retirement benefits, or the value of other non-cash benefits (e.g. healthcare).

Job Description for Reliability Engineer

A reliability engineer is in charge of the overall support of mechanical systems. They work closely with operations and maintenance personnel to troubleshoot mechanical problems. Reliability engineers must be able to ensure that site policies, procedures, standards, and specifications are met. They write or approve project scopes, mark and approve drawings, and establish and maintain installation details and standards.

Reliability engineers help develop and implement long-range plans for mechanical equipment, including providing start-up support to meet production and business needs. Reliability engineers are responsible for training area personnel on mechanical technologies to improve reliability efforts. They create and maintain documentation, procedures, and drawings to ensure integrity of site equipment. They also create and maintain equipment reliability programs. Reliability engineers must possess knowledge of process equipment, including piping, valves, tanks, pumps, and pressure vessels to determine the best plan of action when dealing with problems or construction. Most engineers will work during the day, but long hours or evening work may be required based on the project.

Reliability engineers typically need a bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering or a related field. Many companies prefer work experience as well. It is important for a reliability engineer to be a leader and a self-starter. They must possess a strong level of communication and writing skills.

Reliability Engineer Job Listings

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Popular Employer Salaries for Reliability Engineer

The lowest salaries can be found at Dow Chemical Co — median pay is $83K — and there is little variation in compensation, with paychecks starting at $74K and only reaching $123K.

Popular Skills for Reliability Engineer

This chart shows the most popular skills for this job and what effect each skill has on pay.

Reliability Engineers report using a deep pool of skills on the job. Most notably, skills in C++, Engineering Design, Technical Analysis, and Statistical Analysis are correlated to pay that is above average, with boosts between 12 percent and 15 percent. Skills that seem to negatively impact pay include Matlab, Quality Assurance / Quality Control, and Microsoft Word. Most people experienced in Microsoft Excel also know Project Management and Data Analysis.

Pay by Experience Level for Reliability Engineer

Median of all compensation (including tips, bonus, and overtime) by years of experience.

Reliability Engineers with a lot of experience do not necessarily enjoy more money. Those in the early stages of their career can expect to make around $75K; however, individuals with five to 10 years of experience bring in $89K on average — a distinctly larger sum. Between one and two decades on the job, average salaries pass the six-figure mark at around $102K. Respondents who claim more than 20 years of experience may encounter pay that doesn't quite reflect their extensive experience; these veterans report a median income of around $109K.

Pay Difference by Location

Sunnyvale offers some of the highest pay in the country for Reliability Engineers, 33 percent above the national average. Reliability Engineers will also find cushy salaries in San Jose (+29 percent), Baton Rouge (+26 percent), San Diego (+23 percent), and Dallas (+13 percent). Chicago is home to the smallest salaries in the field, lagging the national average by 14 percent. Employers in Memphis and Portland also lean toward paying below-median salaries (13 percent lower and 2 percent lower, respectively).

Reliability Engineer Reviews

What is it like working as a Reliability Engineer?

Reliability Engineer in Allentown:

"Work Flexibility."

Pros: Autonomy to make decisions to complete a qualification. The challenges of learning details about new products and writing scripts to automate data analysis.